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sony a6400 settings for wildlife photography

I never ever considered Sony but it's seriously option "rich" now. The Sony A6400 is a very different camera. However, if BIF is not your main interest, the G9 could be exactly what you’re looking for. Certainly the old rule applies – a body with a larger sensor can give you better dynamic range or high ISO performance – but I can safely say that I got good results with all the models listed here. The Sony A6400 features 425 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection points, which Sony says are “placed densely over the entire image area, covering approximately 84% of the image area.” When combined with the new BIONZ X image processor, this AF system can lock in focus in as little as 0.02 seconds, Sony claims. Best overall kit: E-M1X, M.Zuiko 40-150mm Pro, 300mm Pro and MC-14 ($7150 / £6080 / €6730), Best kit with 1 lens: E-M1X, M.Zuiko 300mm Pro and MC-14 ($5850 / £5080 / €5530), Versatile kit with 1 lens: E-M1X and Leica DG 100-400mm ($4600 / £4070 / €4440), More affordable kit to begin with: E-M1X and Lumix G 100-300mm II ($3600 / £3300 / €3540), Sony FE 400mm f2.8 GM (600mm f/4 with TC 1.4x, 800mm f/5.6 with TC 2.0x), Sony FE 600mm f4 GM (840mm f/5.6 with TC 1.4x, 1200mm f/8 with TC 2.0x), Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G (280-840mm f/8-9 with TC 1.4x, 400-1200mm f/11-13 with TC 2.0x), Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (150-600mm f/6.3-8 with TC 1.4x, 200-800 f/9-11 with TC 2.0x), Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 OSS GM (98-280mm f/4 with TC 1.4x, 140-400mm f/5.6 with TC 2.0x), the only mirrorless camera to truly match the AF performance of the best high-end DSLRs, the only mirrorless camera with a live view system that surpasses the performance of an optical viewfinder, up to 20fps with AE/AF tracking and no blackouts, the best for tracking birds in flight, very expensive if you want the fastest telephoto lenses. When you start to follow the bird and capture a series of images, the live view in your EVF is maintained without any lag, interruption or delay whatsoever. See more about him here. The new real time tracking mode is the best we’ve ever tried and, while it doesn’t work with birds, Eye AF for animals can be of use for many other subjects. That said, there are advantages worth considering. There are two very affordable flashes that I can highly recommend: I own both of these flashes. Creative styles: When you’re shooting JPEGs, this lets you adjust the contrast, saturation and look of the image that will be applied in-camera. I used the FE 70-300mm with good results but it can feel too short in some situations. Certainly the small size of the body can be an advantage for other genres but when using larger lenses, you inevitably feel a lack of balance and find yourself wishing for a larger grip. Olympus OM-D E-M1X5. The E-M1X uses a modified sensor from the E-M1 II. Here are all the native lenses to consider, as of now: Because the A9 II has a versatile phase detection system, you can also consider using DSLR lenses via compatible adapters. With a keeper rate of 96%/99%, its phase detection system with 693 points has made the leap forward we were waiting for. Within the article, there are affiliate links. But I guess it’s a trade-off. We also included models we discarded in favour of new ones. It is not used with the EVF. You can control the AF responsiveness and customise the AF Group Points. Thank you! For some, it will be their first serious cameras. For instance, it gave me a much better keeper rate for birds in flight – around 74%, or 91% if I include the slightly soft images. (. Follow him on Facebook. Richard Peters is a Surrey based professional wildlife photographer, Nikon Ambassador, and one of the few British photographers to receive the accolade of European Wildlife Photographer of the Year. I use this lens exclusively for wildlife, and based in the U.K. we are not lucky with natural light all the time. The cost increases considerably if you want the fastest telephoto lenses available. Below you’ll see how I set up my Sony A6400 with a discussion of a few of they key items. While the Sony A6400 has a built-in flash, you want to use it sparingly. Feel free to leave comments below if you have any questions. (Most of the time, you will be better off using the touch screen to adjust the focus point). As I explain more thoroughly in my review of the Sony A6400, you can really use AF-C as the default focus mode on the Sony A6400 but it is helpful to switch to AF-S in low light or if you need to get precise focus with focus magnification. Third party charger and extra batteries on Amazon here. Sony A9 II6. The X-H1 offers a larger grip and better ergonomics than other Fuji models which makes the camera more comfortable to use with large lenses such as XF 100-400mm. This is not a universal recommendation — it all depends on how you shoot and the features you wish to easily access. Good image quality with the 20MP DX sensor. The viewfinder has more resolution and comes with a maximum frame rate of 100fps in Boost mode. The continuous shooting speeds go up to 11fps or 8fps if you want live view (with blackouts). The cameras offers useful settings for the AF areas, as well as the best real time tracking I’ve seen. You charged the battery, you stuck in a memory card. And most importantly, have fun. Ideally, an X-H1 successor with the same technology as the X-T3 (plus image stabilisation) would be the optimal solution for this genre. We were not asked to write anything about these products, nor were we provided any compensation of any kind. More importantly, it can do this while maintaining a live view feed in the EVF or LCD screen. Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS. The subject will be tracked, so focus will stay on the subject as you recompose. As of now, I’m not sure it is worth spending all that money unless the type of subject you photograph requires more reach than 400mm (equivalent). With this in mind, a number of questions naturally arise: Four years ago, I started to practice this genre for several of my camera and lens reviews, analysing key aspects such as lens quality and autofocus performance. Since we’re talking about an electronic shutter (so no mechanical curtains closing and opening in front of the sensor), you can shoot at 20fps with live view and no blackouts. They’re all compatible with the TC 1.4x and TC 2.0x teleconverters. (Article on old eye-AF here.) So I picked the flagship APS-C Nikon D500 with the recent Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 to see how much better the performance was in comparison to today’s flagship mirrorless cameras. It can record 4K up to 50/60p and offers slow motion capabilities up to 180fps in 1080p, although unfortunately you can’t control the exposure manually. Furthermore, the optical viewfinder and its display options proved a good ally for BIF, mimicking the use of a red dot sight (more info here). Bear in mind though that there is still some distortion due to rolling shutter. I wouldn’t recommend the camera for this genre primarily but if you are interested in Fuji gear, perhaps it could be an interesting back-up option. Especially as the days get shorter, and the sun weaker, this lens’s small aperture becomes a problem. Face Detect AF: Keep it on to automatically detect faces. While most people think of panorama as shooting the camera in the landscape orientation for a very long image, if you shoot it with the camera in the portrait orientation, you can achieve a super wide image in a more normal size. Finally, the battery is larger and improves the lifespan significantly, putting it close to DSLR territory despite the huge processing power employed by the camera. Sony a6400 for Underwater Photography. Ethics statement: All opinions expressed in this article are our own and based on real world experiences with each camera. Press the shutter half-way and the camera will start tracking the subject. Bird Photography with the Sony Alpha A6000 The Sony Alpha A6000 is a mirrorless camera with a 24mp sensor and a maximum frame rate of 11 shots per second. In many ways, I would have loved to see this camera at the top of the list. Silent shooting and Steady Shot are explained above. In this video, I power it up for the first time and walk through the initial configuration. There is a rich range of physical controls including 19 function buttons and an AF Joystick on the rear (although I wish the latter weren’t so close to the EVF). There are different price points to satisfy different budgets: Note: the Olympus 75-300mm is not weather-sealed. An optional battery grip is available. Sync IS (sensor + optical stabilisation) only works with Olympus lenses. And just like the Olympus, you can use a mode similar to Pro Capture (called Pre-Burst) to save up to 15 images before fully depressing the shutter button. The 200-600mm is the least expensive option and the most interesting to me because it really brings down the cost compared to the other lenses. Panasonic Leica DG 100-400mm f/4-6.3 O.I.S. Check price of the Panasonic Lumix G9 onAmazon | Amazon UK | eBay | B&H Photo, Second-hand Panasonic cameras onMPB US | MPB UK, Guide:Best G9 Settings for Birds in Flight. I do not encourage anyone to run out and spend $5,000 on a whole collection of lenses in a search for the holy grail. The D500 and 200-500mm kit remains reasonable and I worked hand-held the whole time but I definitely felt the difference in comparison to some mirrorless combos. Pro Capture is limited to the H mode with Panasonic lenses. The E-M1X comes with an advanced algorithm that can detect different types of subjects. The maximum speed is 10fps (or 8fps with live view) with decent buffer capabilities. Article updates2. Depending on your level of experience, you may or may not understand all the functions already assigned to the various controls. In addition to the 5-axis sensor shift, you can use Sync IS to combine sensor and optical stabilisation with select lenses. Panasonic Leica DG 50-200mm f/2.8-4 O.I.S. Pairing up the 1.1 pound Sony a6600 and 1.3 pound E 70-350mmis a relatively lightweight and compact 2.4 pound kit considering the full-frame equivalent focal length goes from 105mm to 525mm. If the subject is a person, it will focus on their eye/face. The image quality is similar to the E-M1 II but the Lumix has an excellent JPG engine (better noise reduction and sharpness, warmer colours) if you like straight out-of-camera results. (Review of the Sony A6400 here.) I assign the C1 button, next to the shutter button, to Focus Mode. For some, it will be their first serious cameras. continuous shooting speeds up to 60fps and 18fps, the Pro Capture mode lets you save images before fully depressing the shutter release button, state of the art image stabilisation for stills and video, EVF with large magnification and 120fps progressive scan, weather sealing, dual SD card slot, excellent battery life, the 20MP sensor has improved dynamic range but you won’t reach the same kind of quality as larger sensors, Pro Capture works with Panasonic lenses in H mode only, it is a large investment if you want to work with the best lenses. The quality is excellent thanks to the many colour profile improvements. The 26.1MP BSI X-Trans IV sensor doesn’t provide a substantial increase in image quality over the X-H1 or X-T2, but it remains excellent nonetheless with good dynamic range and high ISO performance. RAW + JPEG: The best and the worst of both worlds. The above image was taken in the Frozen Dark ride at Disney World. The Sony A6400 is an APS-C mirrorless camera, slotting in below the Alpha A6500 in the range, and replacing the Alpha A6300. I will also mention video capabilities where applicable as this is a feature that can be interesting for photographers seeking a hybrid solution or curious to start doing some video in their favourite wildlife location. So if you have no need for an AEL function (or don’t even know what that means), you can assign it to a feature that you might commonly use. Thus, by assigning it to the center of the control pad, I can press the center, confirm the focus area, and then start adjusting the focus point. Conclusion. What concrete benefits do they bring and are there limitations to be aware of? You can then use this option to obtain focus in a few ways: You should rarely have to leave this focus area set up. This allows you to assign star ratings when reviewing your photos. Panasonic has made some improvements via firmware (version 2.0 especially), but the performance remains behind its competitors. Fingers crossed! They are very similar. (Note this is a function built into certain lenses but sometimes controlled on the camera). The prices listed for each combo (camera + lens) are retail prices and don’t take into account instant rebates, cash-back and other limited offers. Hopefully these settings make your life easier when in the field and allows you to concentrate more on composition and light. I have no doubt that most mirrorless cameras can do just fine if the subject is static or moving slowly but a fast bird of prey is another story entirely. So you’ve unboxed your Sony A6400. Quick setup tutorial for the Sony a6400 with the best settings for video. Finally, a button is assigned for focus magnification. Certainly the camera is heavier than the E-M1 II, but the lenses you use for wildlife remain the same size and weight. Before beginning, let’s have a quick run through the various features I analysed in order to compile this list. However it isn’t the only camera system that can give you excellent results in this field anymore. The Sony a6400 is an interchangeable lens E-mount mirrorless camera. The buffer is excellent especially when using an UHS-II card. The cameras becomes unbalanced when used with large and heavy lenses and at this point it makes more sense to consider a native DSLR system instead. The world of photography gear is so different now. Using the E-M1X with the same telephoto lenses I used with the E-M1 II before didn’t force me to upgrade my backpack, so in the end the difference isn’t as big as you might think. There is no shortage of resources including free resources on the internet, books, classes. You get sharp images under the sun. Additionally, the aperture is slow limiting the ability to use the lens in low light and to use for background blur. Software can make or break a good camera and the a6400 is no exception. Read my article on how to use tripods for night landscapes. Preface I: what makes a mirrorless camera good for wildlife photography3. For wildlife it is unlikely you’ll be able to take advantage of it however: it does work at long focal lengths but any small movements will result in artefacts and a loss in resolution. You may think that such a large camera defies the portability of the Micro Four Thirds system. (See on Amazon / Adorama). Sony a9 II Deals. The downside is that by saving both, you really fill up your memory card quickly and you slow down the camera as it writes a lot more data on to the card with each image. If you really want your photos to be tagged with GPS location, confirm that the Location Link is actually set at the time you are shooting. The lens list is very similar as that of the E-M1X: Please note that the performance may not be as good with Olympus lenses because the DfD system is officially only compatible with Lumix/Leica lenses. The AF system isn’t the latest generation but it remains more than valid for wildlife and birds in flight. Sony Electronics Inc. today introduced an exciting new addition to its E-mount mirrorless camera lineup – the α6400 (model ILCE-6400). Copyright 2019, Photography tips, articles and reviews from a Sony photography enthusiast, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Street Photography and Sony A9 real time tracking, Peak Design Slide Strap (My current Strap), Article on how to decide what lenses to buy, this article (the Sony 12-14 at Universal Studios). (See Joby Gorillapod 1k on Amazon / Adorama). For those looking for telephoro reach, Sony does offer a lightweight an affordable aps-c Sony 55-210mm F4.5 – F6.3 (See on Amazon) . Thanks to its complex stacked sensor that includes an integral memory, the camera can process a huge amount of data simultaneously, bringing the electronic shutter performance to a whole new level. not the best solution if you are interested in 4K video as it lacks picture profiles and log gammas, which is a shame given the price. Some of the settings like Eye-Start AF only apply to adapted lenses. If you intend to use heavier lenses, you may want to go slightly larger with the Joby Gorilloapod 3k. Then we have another important aspect which is the lens selection: The most popular lens designed for wildlife is the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6. I include bracket settings here as well. The OM-D E-M1 II was at the top of our list for a long time, but it has been replaced by the more recent OM-D E-M1X as the best option for wildlife. Important note: the article is “dynamic” meaning that it will receive updates after testing new equipment. Most shooters want the face prioritized, so keep face priority on, and let the camera automatically select Left/right eye. The only real disadvantage of the Nikon gear is the extra size and weight. Enter your email and click the blue button below to open the subscription form. If you can’t be bothered to move the focus point or the camera, you can utilize “wide” AF modes, but the camera will not always select the right subject. I had the chance to take wildlife pictures with various Panasonic cameras. The Pro Capture mode lets you save up to 35 frames before you fully depress the shutter release button, which can help you catch the perfect moment. There is also a mode called Pre-Shoot, which like Capture Pro on the E-M1 II, allows you to save pictures before fully pressing the shutter release button. The camera locks onto the subject very quickly and understands much better where it is even against a confusing background. The layout and feel of the Sony Alpha A6400 breaks no new ground as it looks and handles like almost every other A6000-series camera. So my settings slant toward that usage. Check the price of the Fujifilm X-T3 onAmazon | Amazon UK | B&H Photo | eBay, Second-hand Fujifilm cameras onMPB US | MPB UK, E-mount system – 24MP APS-C sensor – 11fps (C-AF). My 12 assigned items are: Sony menu systems are infamously bad and disorganized but there has been one recent significant improvement. While much more expensive, if you’re serious about telephoto shooting like sports or wildlife, I would serious consider the Sony full frame lens, the Sony FE 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 G (on Amazon). If Fujifilm decides to release an X-H1 successor with the same technology as the X-T3, it could become a killer camera for this genre. I’ve just added a Sony A6400 to my kit. The Sony a6000 series isn’t my favourite as far as ergonomics and ease of use are concerned. Check price of the Olympus OM-D E-M1X on:Amazon | B&H Photo, Second-hand Olympus gear onMPB US | MPB UK, Guide:Birds in Flight Settings for the E-M1 II and E-M1X, E-mount system – 24MP 35mm sensor – 20fps with C-AF, live view and no blackouts. The 100-400mm is excellent in terms of sharpness and autofocus speed (even with the TC on) but isn’t cheap.

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